1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in a console for a vehicle, including a lid which is mounted on a console body having a tray and which slidably moves between a closing position in which an opening in an upper surface of the tray is closed, and an opening position in which the opening is opened.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional console for a vehicle has been widely employed in an automobile. In this conventional console, a goods-supporting member is specially mounted to the tray or the console body for retaining goods such as a cup and a can to prevent the falling-down of the goods, when the goods are put in an upright attitude in the tray (see, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open No. 4-24828).
To specially mount the goods-supporting member in addition to the lid to the tray or the console body, a space for exclusively mounting the goods-supporting member must be conventionally provided in the tray or the console body, resulting in disadvantages such as a decrease in internal volume and an increase in size of the console body.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a console for a vehicle, wherein the falling-down of goods put in an upright attitude in the tray can be prevented without bringing about a decrease in internal volume and an increase in size of the console body.
To achieve the above object, according to a first feature of the present invention, there is provided a console for a vehicle, comprising a lid which is mounted on a console body having a tray and which slidably moves between a closing position in which an opening in an upper surface of the tray is closed, and an opening position in which the opening is opened, wherein the lid is provided with a goods-supporting member which is capable of being selectively moved between an operative position in which it protrudes toward the opening in the tray to prevent the falling-down of goods put in an upright attitude in the tray, and a standby position in which it is housed in the lid, when the lid is in its opened position.
With the first feature, the falling-down of the goods upright in the tray can be prevented by moving the goods-supporting member to the operative position in the opened state of the lid, and the inside of the tray can be used widely as a usual goods receptacle and the tray can be closed by the lid without being obstructed by the goods-supporting member by returning the goods-supporting member to the standby position. Moreover, the lid is utilized for mounting the goods-supporting member, and hence it is unnecessary to prepare a space for mounting the goods-supporting member, whereby a decrease in internal volume of the tray and an increase in size of the console body can be avoided.
According to a second feature of the present invention, in addition to the first feature, the lid has a housing chamber in which the goods-supporting member in the standby position is housed, and an access port through which the goods-supporting member is moved from and into the housing chamber into and from the tray, and the goods-supporting member is disposed so that when the goods-supporting member occupies the standby position, it closes the access port.
According to a third feature of the present invention, in addition to the second feature, the goods-supporting member is provided with first and second arms disposed in an L-shape, and is pivotally supported on the lid so that it can be turned between the standby position in which the access port is closed by the first arm and the second arm is housed in a deeper portion of the housing chamber, and the operative position in which the first arm protrudes toward the opening in the tray and the access port is closed by the second arm.
According to a fourth feature of the present invention, in addition to the first or second feature, an operating spring for biasing the goods-supporting member toward the operative position is connected to the goods-supporting member, and a locking means capable of locking and releasing the goods-supporting member in the standby position is mounted between the goods-supporting member and the lid.
According to a fifth feature of the present invention, in addition to the third feature, an operating spring for biasing the goods-supporting member toward the operative position is connected to the goods-supporting member, and a locking means capable of locking and releasing the second arm in the standby position of the goods-supporting member is mounted between the second arm and the lid.
According to a sixth feature of the present invention, in addition to the fifth feature, the goods-supporting member is designed so that when a tip end of the first arm abuts against an inner wall of the tray in a course of closing of the lid when the goods-supporting member is in the operative position, the goods-supporting member is turned toward the standby position by the resulting reaction force.
According to a seventh feature of the present invention, in addition to the first feature, the goods-supporting member is formed into a rod-shape and slidably supported on the lid so that it can be moved between the standby position in which it is housed in the lid, and the operative position in which it protrudes toward the opening in the tray; an operating spring for biasing the goods-supporting member toward the operative position is connected to the goods-supporting member; and a locking means capable of locking and releasing the goods-supporting member in the standby position is mounted between the goods-supporting member and the lid.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.